The Joker Case
by Halloween-Smith
Summary: When the Joker is captured by Sherlock Holmes, he is put on Death Row. His only hope is psychologist Dr Wild. Can she prove that the Joker has a heart? Note: I honestly have no idea how psychologists work, so I know this is probably unrealistic! Don't shout at me ;)
1. Chapter 1

Doctor John Watson rubbed his eyes to try and clear his head. He had dark rings under his dark blue eyes, and his mousy hair was slightly dishevelled. Now that he had Sherlock had finally caught _him, _John wanted more than anything to go to sleep, but the police insisted they come to the station to give any more information they could. He looked at his friend who was gazing out the window of the taxi, his alabaster skin flickering in the orange glow of the streetlights. Rain hammered on the window, just what they needed after a long and tiring night.

"You told me it was a bloody holiday." John grumbled.

"I knew that if I told you why we were going you wouldn't come." The pale man answered without even looking at him.

"You didn't know that!"

Sherlock turned and fixed him with a cold star, his catlike eyes narrowing, until John gave in.

"Okay fine, I probably wouldn't, but that's beside the point!"

John had been informed that their trip to America was a holiday, a break from all the crime solving they had done in London. He really should have known better, because with Sherlock nothing is ever that simple. When they had arrived, Sherlock decided the time was right to inform him that they were going to Gotham. The city with the highest crime rate in America. And they were going to try and capture a madman by the name of the Joker. After many insane days and nights of racing through the city they had finally caught him, dangling upside down from a towering building and laughing manically, his greasy green hair plastered to his face and thick make up smudged.

"Technically you didn't even catch him." John noted.

Sherlock frowned slightly.

"So the Batman strung him up for us, big deal." He sniffed contemptuously.

Sherlock wasn't a big fan of Batman. He thought the whole package was 'over the top, attention seeking and needless'. He didn't see why he needed the Batmobile, the high tech gadgets or the ridiculous costume. Sherlock managed perfectly well without them, thanks very much. As for the husky voice... why? Did he think he sounded impressive and mysterious? He only succeeded in making himself sound like an idiot.

An idiot with a cold.

Arriving at the station, they went just outside the interrogation room. They were stood there with Commissioner Gordon for a couple of seconds before a fourth figure bounded in. It was a young woman, small for her age and very petite, with white blonde hair cascading down her back in little waves and pale skin, even paler than Sherlock's. She had big emerald eyes and a small mouth which was set in a smile revealing small even teeth. She was wearing a smart navy blue jacket and a black skirt with 20's heels and a white frilly shirt. Sherlock recognized her immediately.

"Commissioner Gordon! How's things?" she said with a defined English accent, flouncing over. She had the walk of a dancer; cheeky, confident and graceful with a little bounce in each step.

"Better with the Joker behind bars instead of causing havoc!" he said smiling at her. Gordon was usually a very serious man, but it was difficult to stay serious in the presence of Miny Wild. God only knew what effect she would have on the Joker.

"And this is...?" she asked, nodding at John and Sherlock with an elfish grin.

"I'm Sherlock Holmes. This is John Watson, colleague of mine." Sherlock offered his hand.

"Miny. Miny Wild. So, when can I see him?" she said, shaking hands with Sherlock and John.

"If I didn't know any better Miss Wild, I would say you were looking forward to this!" Gordon said incredulously.

"Damn right I am!" she exclaimed, literally jumping up and down like a child about to go on a rollercoaster. "He's going to be my biggest case, and the psycho's in this town are always so interesting. I've been following this case for ages, just waiting for you to call me in! Nothing beats a good serial killer who's quite obviously emotionally retarded!"

She spoke so fast it was hard to keep up with her, and she genuinely seemed really happy and eager.

"He'll be your patient?" Sherlock asked.

Miny grinned with an excited little giggle.

"Uh-huh. Going in!"


	2. Chapter 2

"Who was she?" John said incredulously. The only person he had ever seen so eager to see any psychopath was... well, Sherlock!

"Doctor Miny Wild? Doesn't ring a bell?" Commissioner Gordon replied.

"Allow me. Doctor Wild is one of the best criminal psychologists in Europe. She's worked with the biggest maniacs out there, and she seems to significantly reduce attempted violence in her patients." Sherlock explained. He definitely wouldn't admit this, but he admired the young doctor's work; Miny was not one of the people Sherlock classed as idiots, and that was pretty impressive.

"Exactly. She's the Joker's best chance... hell, she's certainly his last chance." Gordon rubbed his eyes. It was late, and with the Joker finally locked up, he wanted nothing more than to go back to his family.

"His last chance?" John frowned.

"They have the death penalty here." Sherlock muttered. John's eyes widened as he continued, "She's got six months before his assessment. If he's improved, he's on life. If not..."

John gazed at the door that Miny Wild had just walked confidently through, and wondered how hard that would be to have that responsibility on your shoulders...

Doctor Wild marched into the room, making as much noise as she could. If working with psychopaths had taught her one thing, it was not to act like a pushover. Her patient sat in handcuffs, glaring at her with his dark, make-up rimmed eyes.

"Evening doctor." he drawled.

Miny sat down opposite him and leaned forward, her eyes sparkling and dangerous.

"Lets get this straight. I'm not afraid of guys like you and don't bother trying to mess with my head. I know you probably will, but it's a waste of time." she sat back a smiled, "That out of the way, the name's Miny Wild. Pleased to meet you."  
>The Joker offered a cuffed hand sarcastically, them smirked.<p>

"Where d'ya wanna start?"

Sherlock and John were still there, hours later, filling in paper work.

"I never realized how much of this stuff there was!" John groaned.

"This is tedious. It's pointless, bureaucratic nonsense. This is Mycroft's area, not mine. And I can't even shoot the wall here or they'll think I'm a war lord." Sherlock grumbled, rifling through sheets of paper then standing abruptly.

"Where are you going?"

Sherlock didn't reply, just stalked out and down the corridor to reach the interrogation room and slip through the door silently. What he saw stunned him. The Joker was talking softly, not with his usual drawl but normally. Miny looked at him intently, not making notes on clipboards or butting in with advice. They were just talking. The Joker had his back to Sherlock but Miny caught sight of him and with a slight jerk of her head indicated that he should leave.

The buzzer blared out a few minuted later, so Miny stood and grinned at her patient.

"Until next time, Doctor Wild." he smiled back, slipping into his nasally accent but with less sarcasm than previously. It was a good start, so Miny nodded and exited to a waiting trio.

"How the hell did you do that so quickly?" Sherlock exclaimed.

"Do what?"

"Don't give me that, you know exactly what. He was talking to you; really talking. The Joker never does that to anyone." he said. Miny just shrugged.

"I don't really know how I do it, that's why I've never written any books." she said thoughtfully, "I think that's why it works. I'm not following textbook techniques; I just talk and I listen. And I know what a lot of them have been through. It helps to have some issues of your own talking to these people; makes you more accessible. And more understanding."

Gordon cleared his throat. "Doctor, could you give Ramirez your assessment on his mental state before you leave?" he asked wearily.

"Sure. By the way, anyone have any change for the cigarette machine?" Miny asked.

"We don't really allow smoking in here, Doctor Wild." Gordon quipped, but Miny waved him aside.

"Consider it for medicinal purposes; that was emotionally draining for me!" she grinned, and took the dollars that Sherlock offered, "You're a life saver, darling. Give us a call and I'll pay you back; the Commissioner will give you my number."  
>She turned around in what was almost a twirl, and darted out of the door.<p>

"Nice meeting you!" she called behind her.

Sherlock and John stood in a vaguely stunned silence, and Gordon nodded sympathetically.

"Yep. She tends to have that effect on people."


	3. Chapter 3

Miny met John and Sherlock the next day on the way to her next session with the Joker to return the money he lent her, arranging to meet afterwards for coffee. From then on, the three met up most days and became close friends; John liked the fact that she refused to let Sherlock intimidate her, and loved her old-fashioned habit of calling everyone 'darling'. Sherlock admired her intelligence and sharp wit... although he did have slightly ulterior motives.

"I know exactly what you're trying to do, y'know." Miny pointed out one day as they sat around a plastic table outside a small cafe.

Sherlock frowned with a practiced confusion.  
>"What?"<p>

"You're trying to figure the Joker out from what I say. I'm a psychiatrist, darling, and a pretty good one at that. I can tell!" she grinned, putting Sherlock at ease slightly; he was not used to being caught out so easily!

"I'm curious; I can't help it!"

"Don't worry about it, sweetheart. I know exactly how you feel; why do you think I got into this job? I find psychopaths fascinating, and I relish a challenge. And, yeah it's a cliche, but I do want to help. It makes the world a bit better if we try to help these people instead of giving up on them and just locking them up or killing them." Miny smiled.

"That's not the only reason though, is it?" Sherlock said. John frowned slightly, realising what he was about to do.

"Oh is it not?" Miny leaned forward. "Go on. Impress a girl."

"You were treated by a psychiatrist yourself." Sherlock said bluntly. Miny looked slightly surprised, and Sherlock smiled with a hint of smugness, "I'm a detective, darling, and a pretty good one at that. I can tell."

"Go on."

"You went through some pretty bad trauma; sexual, at a guess, judging by your protective stance. You started self-harming; in fact you still do self-harm. And you tried to kill yourself two- no... three times. So, naturally you sought the help of a psychiatrist. Obviously someone who inspired you to follow their path-" Sherlock rattled off.

"Sherlock, stop." John butted in. He was no psychiatrist or detective, but he could tell that Miny was feeling uncomfortable. The young doctor held her calm composure, but her fists were clenched on her lap and her eyes were filling with shadows.

"Pretty good, Holmes. Although the 'trauma' wasn't what triggered the self-harm; I've been self-harming most of my life, that incident just made it more... extreme, shall we say?" Miny's face stony and expressionless; a line had been crossed, and Sherlock realised this.

"I'm sorry." he said quietly. John glanced at him, surprised. "I shouldn't have gone so far."

"It's fine. It's not something I'm ashamed of; it was just... a bit of a shock to be exposed like that." Miny smirked, "That's supposed to be my job!"

"For what it's worth, I think it's really great that you do this job; that you turned that experience around and used it to help people." John said.

"I suppose so. It does help to have some baggage when doing this job, I think. And God knows, I've got enough of it." a fleeting expression of pain flickered across her features, then she stood up with a grin, kissed them both on the cheek and walked briskly away. Both men watched her leave in silence as she weaved through the crowd, seeming to glow in her white dress.

"I just can't figure her out." Sherlock muttered.

"What?" John turned to him, wondering if the great Sherlock Holmes had really admitted to that. But he shook his head.

"Nothing. Lets go."


End file.
